List of flowering plants in the family Poaceae recorded from South Africa
Poaceae () or Gramineae is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the order Poales, known as grasses. With around 780 genera and around 12,000 species,[1] the Poaceae is the fifth-largest plant family, following the Asteraceae, Orchidaceae, Fabaceae and Rubiaceae.[2]
The Poaceae are the most economically important plant family, providing staple foods from domesticated cereal crops such as maize, wheat, rice, barley, and millet as well as feed for meat-producing animals. They provide, through direct human consumption, just over one-half (51%) of all dietary energy. Some members of the Poaceae are used as building materials (bamboo, thatch, and straw); others can provide a source of biofuel, primarily via the conversion of maize to ethanol. Grasses have stems that are hollow except at the nodes and narrow alternate leaves borne in two ranks. The lower part of each leaf encloses the stem, forming a leaf-sheath. The leaf grows from the base of the blade, an adaptation allowing it to cope with frequent grazing.
Grasslands such as savannah and prairie where grasses are dominant are estimated to constitute 40.5% of the land area of the Earth, excluding Greenland and Antarctica.[3] Grasses are also an important part of the vegetation in many other habitats, including wetlands, forests and tundra.
23,420 species of vascular plant have been recorded in South Africa, making it the sixth most species-rich country in the world and the most species-rich country on the African continent. Of these, 153 species are considered to be threatened.[4] Nine biomes have been described in South Africa: Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, desert, Nama Karoo, grassland, savanna, Albany thickets, the Indian Ocean coastal belt, and forests.[5]
The 2018 South African National Biodiversity Institute's National Biodiversity Assessment plant checklist lists 35,130 taxa in the phyla Anthocerotophyta (hornworts (6)), Anthophyta (flowering plants (33534)), Bryophyta (mosses (685)), Cycadophyta (cycads (42)), Lycopodiophyta (Lycophytes(45)), Marchantiophyta (liverworts (376)), Pinophyta (conifers (33)), and Pteridophyta (cryptogams (408)).[6]
206 genera are represented in the literature.[6] Listed taxa include species, subspecies, varieties, and forms as recorded, some of which have subsequently been allocated to other taxa as synonyms, in which cases the accepted taxon is appended to the listing. Multiple entries under alternative names reflect taxonomic revision over time.
Craspedorhachis
Genus Craspedorhachis:[6]
- Craspedorhachis africana Benth. indigenous
Pentaschistis
Genus Pentaschistis[6] (now included in Pentameris)
- Pentaschistis acinosa Stapf, accepted as Pentameris acinosa (Stapf) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis airoides (Nees) Stapf subsp. airoides, accepted as Pentameris airoides Nees subsp. airoides, indigenous
- Pentaschistis airoides (Nees) Stapf subsp. jugorum (Stapf) H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris airoides Nees subsp. jugorum (Stapf) Galley & H.P.Linder, indigenous
- Pentaschistis alticola H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris alticola (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis ampla (Nees) McClean, accepted as Pentameris ampla (Nees) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis argentea Stapf, accepted as Pentameris argentea (Stapf) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis aristidoides (Thunb.) Stapf, accepted as Pentameris aristidoides (Thunb.) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis aristifolia Schweick. accepted as Pentameris aristifolia (Schweick.) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis aspera (Thunb.) Stapf, accepted as Pentameris aspera (Thunb.) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis aurea (Steud.) McClean, indigenous
- Pentaschistis aurea (Steud.) McClean subsp. aurea, accepted as Pentameris aurea (Steud.) Galley & H.P.Linder subsp. aurea, endemic
- Pentaschistis aurea (Steud.) McClean subsp. pilosogluma (McClean) H.P.Linder, indigenous
- Pentaschistis barbata (Nees) H.P.Linder subsp. barbata, accepted as Pentameris barbata (Nees) Steud. subsp. barbata, endemic
- Pentaschistis barbata (Nees) H.P.Linder subsp. orientalis H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris barbata (Nees) Steud. subsp. orientalis (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis basutorum Stapf, accepted as Pentameris basutorum (Stapf) Galley & H.P.Linder, indigenous
- Pentaschistis calcicola H.P.Linder var. calcicola, accepted as Pentameris calcicola (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder var. calcicola, endemic
- Pentaschistis calcicola H.P.Linder var. hirsuta H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris calcicola (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder var. hirsuta (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis capensis (Nees) Stapf, accepted as Pentameris capensis (Nees) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis capillaris (Thunb.) McClean, accepted as Pentameris capillaris (Thunb.) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis caulescens H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris caulescens (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis chippindalliae H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris chippindalliae (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis cirrhulosa (Nees) H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris cirrhulosa (Nees) Steud. endemic
- Pentaschistis clavata Galley, accepted as Pentameris clavata (Galley) Galley & H.P.Linder, present
- Pentaschistis colorata (Steud.) Stapf, accepted as Pentameris colorata (Steud.) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis curvifolia (Schrad.) Stapf, accepted as Pentameris curvifolia (Schrad.) Nees, endemic
- Pentaschistis densifolia (Nees) Stapf, accepted as Pentameris densifolia (Nees) Steud. endemic
- Pentaschistis ecklonii (Nees) McClean, accepted as Pentameris bachmannii (McClean) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis elegans (Nees) Stapf, accepted as Pentameris elegans (Nees) Steud. endemic
- Pentaschistis eriostoma (Nees) Stapf, accepted as Pentameris eriostoma (Nees) Steud. endemic
- Pentaschistis exserta H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris exserta (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder, indigenous
- Pentaschistis galpinii (Stapf) McClean, accepted as Pentameris galpinii (Stapf) Galley & H.P.Linder, indigenous
- Pentaschistis glandulosa (Schrad.) H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris glandulosa (Schrad.) Steud. endemic
- Pentaschistis heptamera (Nees) Stapf, accepted as Pentameris heptameris (Nees) Steud. endemic
- Pentaschistis holciformis (Nees) H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris holciformis (Nees) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis horrida Galley, accepted as Pentameris horrida (Galley) Galley & H.P.Linder, present
- Pentaschistis juncifolia Stapf, accepted as Pentameris juncifolia (Stapf) Galley & H.P.Linder, present
- Pentaschistis lima (Nees) Stapf, accepted as Pentameris lima (Nees) Steud. endemic
- Pentaschistis longipes Stapf, accepted as Pentameris longipes (Stapf) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis malouinensis (Steud.) Clayton, accepted as Pentameris malouinensis (Steud.) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis microphylla (Nees) McClean, accepted as Pentameris microphylla (Nees) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis montana H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris montana (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis natalensis Stapf, accepted as Pentameris natalensis (Stapf) Galley & H.P.Linder, indigenous
- Pentaschistis oreodoxa Schweick. accepted as Pentameris oreodoxa (Schweick.) Galley & H.P.Linder, indigenous
- Pentaschistis pallescens (Schrad.) Stapf accepted as Pentameris pallescens, endemic
- Pentaschistis pallida (Thunb.) H.P.Linder accepted as Pentameris pallida, endemic
- Pentaschistis papillosa (Steud.) H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris scabra (Nees) Steud. endemic
- Pentaschistis patula (Nees) Stapf, accepted as Pentameris patula (Nees) Steud. endemic
- Pentaschistis praecox H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris praecox (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder
- Pentaschistis pseudopallescens H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris pseudopallescens (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis pungens H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris pungens (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis pusilla (Nees) H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris pusilla (Nees) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis pyrophila H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris pyrophila (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis reflexa H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris reflexa (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis rigidissima Pilg. ex H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris rigidissima (Pilg. ex H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis rosea H.P.Linder subsp. purpurascens H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris rosea (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder subsp. purpurascens (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Lind, endemic
- Pentaschistis rosea H.P.Linder subsp. rosea, accepted as Pentameris rosea (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder subsp. rosea, endemic
- Pentaschistis rupestris (Nees) Stapf, accepted as Pentameris rupestris (Nees) Steud. endemic
- Pentaschistis scandens H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris scandens (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis setifolia (Thunb.) McClean, accepted as Pentameris setifolia (Thunb.) Galley & H.P.Linder, indigenous
- Pentaschistis tomentella Stapf, accepted as Pentameris tomentella (Stapf) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis tortuosa (Trin.) Stapf, accepted as Pentameris tortuosa (Trin.) Nees, endemic
- Pentaschistis trifida Galley, accepted as Pentameris trifida (Galley) Galley & H.P.Linder, present
- Pentaschistis triseta (Thunb.) Stapf, accepted as Pentameris triseta (Thunb.) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis tysonii Stapf, accepted as Pentameris tysonii (Stapf) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis velutina H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris velutina (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis veneta H.P.Linder, accepted as Pentameris veneta (H.P.Linder) Galley & H.P.Linder, endemic
- Pentaschistis viscidula (Nees) Stapf, accepted as Pentameris viscidula (Nees) Steud., endemic
Pseudechinolaena
Genus Pseudechinolaena:[6]
- Pseudechinolaena polystachya (Kunth) Stapf, indigenous
- Pseudopentameris brachyphylla (Stapf) Conert, endemic
- Pseudopentameris caespitosa N.P.Barker, endemic
- Pseudopentameris macrantha (Schrad.) Conert, endemic
- Pseudopentameris obtusifolia (Hochst.) N.P.Barker, accepted as Pentameris obtusifolia (Hochst.) Schweick. endemic